Auggie's cheerleader
by Millemini
Summary: AU story: Annie and Auggie has been working together as field agents for a couple of years and are best friends. When Auggie is blinded in Iraq Annie is there for him through rehab, as his rock and personal cheerleader. COMPLETE
1. Blind

**The idea for this story came from this scene in the story "One Dark and Stormy Night" by SD (which is a great story that I highly encourage you to read) :**

_"Feels stupid to be so pleased with myself over using the bathroom and finding the kitchen."_

_Annie heard his watch clink on the island as he leaned across it toward her. She could finally smell his cologne, and she tried to focus on it so she could follow his movements later. "I'll tell you a secret, Annie Walker. There are days, even now, when I go somewhere new, or somewhere I haven't been in awhile, and getting to the bathroom and back still feels like a triumph."_

_Annie mulled this over, a little surprised. "I guess I just take it for granted that you're such an expert none of this phases you anymore."_

_"That's a bigger compliment than you know." He said quietly. Annie could hear the sincerity in his voice, as his hand grasped hers across the island. "Right after it happened… I would never have believed I could do this."_

_"I wish I'd known you then."_

_Auggie wondered what she meant. He could imagine her wanting to have met him before his injury, but right after? Even his closest friends and family hadn't enjoyed being around him then._

_"Why's that?"_

_"I could have been your cheerleader. Told you how successful I knew you would be." She paused. "Like you've done for me ever since I started at the company."_

**It got me thinking; what if Annie had known Auggie before he was injured and was his "cheerleader" through rehab? Figured it would be fun to try writing it and here's the first chapter. I hope the characters are not too OOC.**

**This story is AU - the first paragraph kind of outlines things, so I'm not going to repeat it in the AN.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Covert Affairs, Annie or Auggie.**

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><p><strong>-Chapter 1-<strong>

"Annie, a word in my office," Joan said as she passed Annie's desk in the bullpen. Annie quickly got to her feet and followed her boss. She couldn't help but feel a bit nervous about it, being called into Joans office either meant a lecture or a particularly grueling mission. Annie didn't think she'd done anything to require a lecture from her boss, so it was probably the latter. She tried her best to hide her nerves. Annie had graduated from The Farm two years ago and until four months ago she'd usually been partnered up with Auggie Anderson on the trickier missions. Auggie was a few years older than Annie and he'd been with the agency for about five years and according to Joan he was the perfect partner for a rookie. Annie had seen why on their first mission together and they'd grown pretty close, they were best friends. Annie was pretty sure she wouldn't have survived the first months at the Agency without Auggie tucking her under his wing, guiding her through the complicated world of the CIA. After a rough breakup with his girlfriend, forced by the CIA, Auggie had taken a leave from the Agency and re-enlisted with the Army and was currently with Special Forces in Iraq. Annie missed him and worried about him. After he'd left she'd realized that she cared for Auggie as more than a friend, but because he'd been in a relationship since she'd met him she hadn't really allowed those feelings to surface. She'd been satisfied with having him as a partner and best friend.

"Annie, I have some news for you, please sit down," Joan said as he gestured towards one of the chairs in front of her desk. Annie did as she was told, her eyes were wide with worry.

"What's going on Joan?"

"Auggie's been injured in Iraq. I don't have the specific details, all I know is that he is on his way from Landstuhl in Germany to Walter Reed as we speak."

"Oh my God," Annie gasped, burying her face in her hands. It had been her worst nightmare. She remembered the conversation she had with Auggie right before he left. She'd told him about her worries and he had brushed her off, shaking his head and rolling his eyes at her, telling her to leave the worrying to his mother. She'd tried her best, but it was always in the back of her head.

"Annie, he'll arrive at Walter Reed this afternoon and I plan on going there to see him right away. I'll let you know as soon as I know more."

"When can I see him?" Annie wanted to jump into her car and drive to Walter Reed so she could be there for Auggie.

"I don't know Annie. I don't even know what his injuries are, I just got a message that he was hurt and on his way back to the US."

"I understand, thanks for telling me Joan," Annie did her best to not fall apart; she was beside herself with worry. Having grown up as an army brat Annie knew that when people were shipped back to Walter Reed it usually meant that their injuries were more than just a scratch.

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><p>The day Annie was at her desk, trying to focus on a translation, but her mind kept wandering to Auggie. She'd been watching her phone all night and all morning, hoping that Joan would call her with some news, but she hadn't heard a word. A hand on her shoulder startled her. It was Joan.<p>

"Annie, come with me," she said as she headed up the stairs toward her office. She opened the door and allowed Annie to enter before she closed the door. Again she gestured for her to take a seat and Annie sat.

"I promised to inform you when I'd learned more about Auggie's condition and I'm keeping that promise on one condition; what I tell you will not go outside these walls. It's confidential and I'm only telling you because Auggie insisted that you should be informed. He wants you to know the truth, not some third hand rumor that's bound to start floating around soon."

"Understood. Joan, what's going on?" Annie's voice was pleading.

"Auggie's entire unit was killed by a bomb in Iraq, Auggie was injured while trying to warn them. He's got a few scratches and a dislocated shoulder. He's also blind, permanently blind."

"He's _blind_?" Annie gasped with shock. "Can't they do anything? Surgery or something?"

Joan shook her head. "No, the damage to his optical lobes is too severe. There's nothing that can be done to restore his sight."

"What happens next? Can I go see him?"

"He'll be at Walter Reed for a few more days, then he'll be transferred to a rehabilitation facility. Visitor's hours starts at 5 p.m. You can see him tomorrow."

Annie heard the dismissal in her voice and got up from her seat. "That's completely understandable. Thanks Joan."

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><p>The next afternoon Annie was nervously walking down one of the hallways at Walter Reed, carrying a gift bag with a stuffed Saint Bernard puppy in one hand. Getting Auggie balloons, a card or even flowers was out of the question; so she'd struggled a bit in the gift shop before the stuffed puppy caught her eye. She remembered telling Auggie once that he was her Saint Bernard; cute, reliable and always bringing her booze when she was feeling down. She figured he needed his own Saint Bernard now. She rounded a corner and entered the hallway that led to Auggie's room. Moments later she was standing outside the door, she lightly knocked. A muffled "come in" hit her ears after a second. She opened the door and saw Auggie lying on the bed, wearing a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He sat up and turned his head toward the sound of her footsteps, with a questioning look on his face.<p>

"Hey Aug. How are you?"

"Annie?"

"Yeah, it's me." Annie made her way across the room and sat down in the chair next to the bed.

"What are you doing here?"

"Visiting my best friend silly." She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "You didn't answer my question Auggie, how are you?"

Auggie shrugged. "What do you think? I'm blind Annie, and there's nothing that can be done to fix my eyes," he said, his voice barely audible. A tear rolled down his cheek while he braced himself for the pity party she would probably throw him any second.

"Joan told me. It totally sucks Auggie," She moved to sit on the edge of the bed and put her arm around him. After a few minutes of just sitting there in silence Annie released him and sat back on the chair, still holding Auggie's hand. To Auggie's surprise and relief her voice wasn't laced with the pity he'd heard in pretty every familiar voice for the last few days, Joan being the exception of course.

"Hey, I brought you something." Annie grabbed the gift bag off the floor and handed it to Auggie. Realizing he couldn't see it she tapped it against his hand. He grabbed it hesitantly and carefully withdrew the stuffed puppy.

"You got me a teddy bear?" he asked, carefully exploring the soft stuffed animal with his hands with a puzzled look on his face.

"Nope, it's a Saint Bernard. You're _my_ Saint Bernard and I figured you could use your own now. You know, they're cute, dependable and always there for you. I doubt he'll bring you booze though, but I've got that covered."

A small smile crossed Auggie's face. "Thanks Annie. Beats the 'Get well' cards." He nodded towards a pile of cards on the bedside table as he put the Saint Bernard down on the bed next to his thigh.

"Have anyone read them to you?"

He shook his head. "Didn't wanna bother the nurses with that."

"Would you like me to read them to you?"

He nodded. For the next few minutes Annie read the cards to him and described what they looked like. Once in a while a tear rolled down Auggie's cheek and Annie could see that he was struggling to keep himself together. He didn't want to fall apart in front of her. As she finished the last card she out the pile back on the bedside table and sat down next to Auggie, who had moved to sit on the edge of the bed, and pulled him in for a hug.

"I have no idea what you're going through, I'm not even going to pretend that I can imagine it, 'cause I can't, but I'm here for you. Do you have any idea about what happens next?" she asked as they broke the embrace.

"Rehab. They keep pushing me to go to the Hines VA hospital in Illionis, claiming it'll be good to be close to my family. I don't know, I still have a couple of days to decide, but I think I'd prefer somewhere in the DC area."

"Is your family here in DC now?"

"My parents are flying in today, they should be here soon. My brothers couldn't care less, none of them wanted another brother and we're not exactly close."

"Oh, if your parents are coming I should get going, I don't wanna intrude."

"Please stay 'til they get here," Auggie said in a small voice. "I don't wanna be alone." He hated to admit it, but he was as scared as he'd ever been before and her presence calmed him. It was also a huge relief that she acted just as 'normal', she was just being Annie and she didn't have that catch in her voice that everyone else had.

"Sure Aug, no problem. I haven't got any plans. Hey, did you hear that Stu in Tech Ops finally hooked up with the Starbucks barista he's been head over heels with forever?"

"He finally worked up the courage to ask her out?" Auggie let out a small laugh. Stu had been talking about asking the barista at Starbucks out forever.

"Yep, or I think it was more liquid courage. He was pretty plastered over at Allen's a few weeks ago and with some encouragement from the other Tech Ops guys he finally took the plunge."

"I suspected as much, he's so damn shy it's painful. Anything else going on?"

"Nah, not much. I went on the most tedious mission in history a few weeks ago, thought I'd die out of pure boredom."

"Oh?"

"Just retrieving some intel from an asset in Copenhagen and I spent almost a week hanging around my hotel, just waiting for the asset to contact me. Joan was about to call it off when he finally came through."

"Sounds pretty boring. I guess I'm probably done at the Agency, don't really see what good a blind guy will be to the CIA." Auggie's mood dropped again, his head hung and his shoulders slumped.

"Don't say that Auggie. And don't worry about that just yet. Focus on your recovery and rehab. Take one step at a time."

"It's easier said than done Annie."

"I know, but just try. You'll be fine, things might change, but no matter what happens you'll still be Auggie. Just don't loose yourself."

Auggie didn't answer at once; he just sat there on the bed, still holding Annie's hand. "I'll try," he finally said quietly.


	2. Small steps forward

**Thanks for the reviews and alerts on the 1st chapter! :o)**

**I'm all psyched about the season finale tonight, even though I hate the fact that season 3 is several MONTHS away. Hopefully there'll be plenty of fanfics that will help me survive the wait.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or Covert Affairs.**

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><p><strong><span>-Chapter 2-<span>**

It was Wednesday afternoon and Auggie was lying on his bed. He'd been at the rehab center just outside Richmond, Virginia for a week and a half and he was exhausted. Everything was overwhelming and he just didn't see how he'd ever be able to get back to something resembling his old life. To make matters worse loneliness was setting in, his parents had gone back to Illinois a week ago and he hadn't had a single visitor since. Not even Annie, he hadn't heard a word from her since she came to see him at Walter Reed two weeks ago. He had to admit that he was kind of disappointed, she'd promised to be there for him and she hadn't even called. Deep down he knew that it was probably work that was keeping her away, but the fact that she hadn't even found a way to call him hurt as she was the only person he could bear having around at the moment.

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For once Annie had been able to leave the office early and she was on her way to see Auggie. She was anxious to find out how he was doing. She felt immensely guilty about being such a bad friend, but a mission in Europe had come in the way. She hoped Auggie wasn't too upset with her. She pulled off the highway and followed the signs to the rehab center. It was an old building, surrounded by a beautiful park. She pulled the car into the parking lot and pulled to a stop in a parking space near the entrance. She grabbed her bag and headed for the front door.

"How may I help you?" the receptionist asked as Annie approached.

"I'm here to see Auggie Anderson."

"Your name please?"

"Annie Walker."

Annie waited while the receptionist keyed something into her computer, probably checking Auggie's list of approved visitors.

"Mr. Anderson is in room 232, up the stairs and to the right; third door on the right. His sessions for the day are over."

"Thank you," Annie said as she headed for the stairs.

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Annie found Auggie's room easily and when she approached she found the door ajar. She looked inside and saw Auggie lying on the bed, appearing to be staring at the ceiling. She knocked lightly on the doorjamb. Auggie sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "Yes?"

"Hi Auggie!"

"Annie?" Hearing her voice made Auggie smile slightly, but her two-week absence still stung and he wasn't about to let her off the hook.

"Sorry I've been a stranger for the last couple of weeks. Didn't plan on spending a week in a dingy hotel in Brussels." Annie sat down next to him on the bed and put her arm around him.

"That's ok. I realize that people have more fun stuff to do than to hang out with a helpless blind guy at a rehab center," Auggie stated flatly.

"Stop it right now Auggie. I would have come sooner if I had the opportunity, but you know that working at the Agency sometimes screw with our personal lives."

Auggie sighed, he knew Annie was right and he desperately needed a friend. Annie looked around the room and the sight of the stuffed Saint Bernard she'd given him at Walter Reed sitting on the bedside table made her smile. "Hey, you kept the puppy around?"

"Yeah, Mom thought it was ridiculous that a 32 year man insisted on taking a stuffed animal with him, but he's my Saint Bernard," Auggie said with a small smile. "He is failing in the bringing me booze department though."

The small joke made her smile. Auggie hadn't lost his sense of humor.

"I told you I'd take care of that! I take it your parents have gone back to Illionis?"

"Yep. They stayed for about a week, but Dad had to get back to work and Mom had promised my brother to watch his kids for a week while he and his wife are on a cruise. She told me she could tell him to make other arrangements, but to be honest it was a relief when she left. It felt like I could finally breathe again."

"So how are things going Augs?"

"I hate that I'm going to be a helpless cripple for the rest of my life, depending on other people for assistance."

"Auggie, you're not a cripple, don't say that."

"I'm not? I have to be led around; otherwise I have no idea where I am. I have no idea what I'm wearing, I can't read, I can't use a computer, I eat like a toddler…" His voice trailed off and tears started rolling down his cheeks. "I'm scared Annie, I'm really scared."

"It's ok to be scared, I would be terrified if I was you. You've been here for what? A week?"

"Week and a half."

"You have to give it some time, a few more weeks here and I'm sure that will change. You've got a long road ahead, but I'm sure you'll come out at the end as the most awesome, independent, capable blind guy there is. I believe in you Auggie. You can do this and you will do great, like you always do." She said, giving his shoulders a squeeze.

"Thanks Annie," he said in a small voice.

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><p>Little over three weeks later things were looking a bit better. Auggie's orientation skills were improving and he was starting to find his way around the rehab center on his own. So far he'd managed to find the mess hall, library and a few of the training rooms unassisted, much to his trainers pleasure. His cane skills were getting better every day. He was walking back to his room after his last training session of the week, cane sweeping in front of him. Using the cane had taken away much of the fear of moving around. He still felt self-conscious about using it around other people, but he'd realized it was the key to getting around safely and independently and tried his best to suppress those feelings. He was still far from confident, but the tight knot of fear in his stomach was loosening. As he reached his room he was greeted by a familiar scent; Annie's perfume. She had only been out on a couple of short brush pass missions for the past few weeks and had come to see him regularly.<p>

"Annie?"

"Hi Aug! How are you?"

"Okay I guess. I found another training room on my own today." Auggie looked proud of his own accomplishment.

"That's great!" Annie pulled him in for a quick hug. "Hey, it's Friday night, how do you feel about having dinner at Friday's to celebrate? My treat!"

"Um…I don't know. Haven't been out in the 'real world' yet, not sure I'm ready for it." Thoughts were rattling through his brain, part of him wanted to go. He was craving some 'real' food and a change of scenery would be nice. The fear of appearing as a bumbling fool in a public place held him back.

"Come on Auggie!" Annie pleaded. "It's just dinner at Friday's. And beer! Please?"

Something in the tone of Annie's voice won him over.

"Okay, if you think you can manage me out in the 'real world' I'll come. I haven't had anything but military rations and hospital food for a while, real food is tempting."

"Great! Uh…Auggie?" Annie looked at him, realizing that she'd only seen him in sweats and t-shirts lately. Today he was wearing grey sweatpants and his '1-up' T-shirt.

"Yeah?"

"As much as I adore your nerd fashion, do you have anything besides sweats to wear?"

"There should be some jeans in the dresser and a couple of shirts in the closet, Mom mentioned something about it."

He heard Annie move around the room, opening the drawers in the dresser and the closet. A few minutes later she approached him.

"Here, hold out your arm. You need to change and pull a comb through your hair." She draped a pair of jeans and a shirt over his arm along with a belt for the jeans. "It's a pair of dark jeans and a grey shirt. Black leather belt."

"Thanks." With a small smile on his face Auggie made his way to the bathroom. Even though he was nervous he was looking forward to dinner with Annie.

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"So, do you want me to read the menu to you?" Annie asked as they settled down at their table at the Friday's on Broad Street. To Auggie's relief Annie had managed to guide him without incidents. She was actually becoming a skilled sighted guide.

"No thanks, I'm getting, a Friday's Burger. I don't have the guts to try anything that demands knife skills in public."

"Do you wanna share an appetizer? I'm dying for some potato skins, but I'm not hungry enough to eat that and an entrée."

"Sure, do they still have that platter with buffalo wings as well?"

"Yes, it's got wings, potato skins and fried mozzarella sticks."

"Let's get one of those then."

The waitress approached them and took their orders. She was back with their drinks within a few minutes.

"Beer at your two o'clock. Cheers Auggie!"

Auggie snaked his hand across the table until his knuckles touched the glass. He grabbed it and held it up in Annie's direction.

"Cheers!" He took a hefty swig of beer. It was about the best beer he'd ever had.

A few hours later Annie led Auggie back to his room at the rehab center. They'd had a good time and Auggie seemed to have enjoyed himself. When he went to bed Auggie actually felt a glimmer of hope that he'd be able to get back to some semblance of his old life. There were still plenty of obstacles to conquer, but his night out with Annie had given him a much-needed boost. He knew the next weeks, even months, would be a challenge, but with Annie supporting him he thougt he could do it.


	3. Meeting with Joan

**Well, the 2nd season of Covert Affairs has officially come to an end! I loved the finale, it was one of my favorite episodes of the entire series. I'm a sucker for the A&A pairing myself, but I think it's too soon. The scene that really blew me away was the scene where Auggie gets the call from his doctor. Chris Gorham played it so well!**

**Anyway...here's the 3rd chapter. Struggled a bit with it, but I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own CA, Annie or Auggie. (PS! I want an Auggie in my life!)**

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><p><strong>-Chapter 3-<strong>

Auggie was sitting by the desk in his room while trying to decipher the braille pages his instructor had left him. It was one of the hardest things he'd ever tried to learn and he was on the verge of giving up. He struggled to get his finger to translate the bumps that passed underneath into anything. With a frustrated sigh he pushed the pages to the back of the desk. It was just impossible at the moment. It frustrated the hell out of him because he knew that literacy in braille was probably the key to getting a job and somehow moving on with his life. He'd been at the rehab center for six weeks and was a only a couple of weeks away from being halfway through his rehab. The instructors praised him for his progress and capability to adapt to his new circumstances. "Like I have a choice," Auggie thought with another heavy sigh and got up from the chair. He made the five steps towards the door and grabbed his folded cane off the foot of the bed on the way. As he reached the door he paused briefly to unfold the cane and then he made his way downstairs and then outside. He needed some fresh air to clear his head.

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"Auggie! Wait up!" Auggie had been walking around the park surrounding the rehab center for a while when the sound of Annies voice and familiar footsteps coming up from behind had him stop and turn toward her. Leaning on his cane he couldn't help but smile as he heard Annie running toward him. As she approached him she put her hand on top of his.

"Out enjoying the sunshine Augs?" she asked.

"Needed some fresh air. Was getting a headache from my braille assignment. It's damn impossible."

"I thought you said you were getting it?"

"Grade 1 is ok, but that's just the basics. Grade 2 is so much harder, the contractions are just so hard to get."

"You said that about grade 1 too, remember? It's just a matter of practice, you said so yourself." Annie asked as she brushed the back of Auggie's left hand, he gripped her right elbow and they started walking down the path that led to a small lake. Auggie shrugged. Annie was right, he'd struggled with grade 1 braille too, but now he had it pretty much down pat.

"Um…Auggie?"

"Yes?"

"Joan sent me here to give you a message."

"Really?" Auggie's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He had been wondering why Annie was there before noon on a Thursday.

"She wants you to attend a meeting in her office this afternoon. She wanted me to pick you up and bring you there."

Auggie was shocked, what on earth did Joan Campbell want to talk to him about? And why in her office? He wasn't sure he was ready to go back to Langley just yet, to face his co-workers,

"Anyway, I dropped by your place and picked up a suit, dress shirt, tie, dress shoes and belt on my way over here. Figured you didn't wanna show up for a meeting with Joan in sweats or jeans."

"Thanks Annie. Do you have any idea what this is about?"

"She didn't say, she just told me to bring you here. Shot me the 'do it and don't ask any questions' glare."

Auggie chuckled. Joan had shot him that glare more than once in the past, he knew exactly what Annie was talking about. They made their way back to Annie's car where she got out the garment bag with Auggie's clothes and then they headed to his room so he could get ready. They stopped at the reception so Auggie could let the receptionist know that he'd be missing his lesson this afternoon because of a meeting with his employer.

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"Do I look presentable?" Auggie said as he stepped out of the bathroom forty minutes later, looking very sharp in his well fitting dark grey suit.

"Very presentable Aug. Just let me straighten out your tie, ok?"

"Sure, it's kinda hard when you can't see what you're doing," he said sheepishly.

Annie quickly straightened Auggie's tie. "There you go. Ready to get going?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. Have to admit I'm pretty nervous about it. Especially going back to Langley, meeting people again, you know… What's the word on me around the water cooler?"

"Not much actually, people know what happened. Don't worry, you'll do just fine. Lets get going then," Annie said. Auggie grabbed his cane, unfolded it and waited for Annie to offer her arm. They walked in silence to her car, Annie noticed his jaw clenching and his grip on her elbow was tighter than normal. They spent most of the drive to Langley in silence, only interrupted by Auggie asking their location from time to time. He appeared to be staring out of the window and he was fidgeting with his cane. Annie knew he was nervous.

* * *

><p>"Auggie, so great to see you again," Joan greeted him as Annie led him into her office. "How are you doing?"<p>

"Good to see you to Joan. I'm doing better." Auggie tried to sound as confident as possible.

"Please have a seat." Annie placed his hand on the back of one of the chairs in front of Joan's desk. "I'll call you when we're ready Annie," she said in a dismissive tone. Annie patted Auggie on the arm and left, closing the door behind her on the way out. Auggie assessed the chair and sat down while quickly folding his cane.

"I called you here today to discuss your future at the Agency Auggie."

Auggie couldn't believe his ears; his future? He'd been pretty sure Joan had called him there to offer him a severance package and let him go.

"My future? What do you mean?"

"Well, you're obviously not sanctioned for fieldwork anymore, I'm sure you realize that."

Auggie nodded. He knew that his now useless eyes meant that his career as a field officer at the CIA was over. "I figured that much."

"John is being promoted to Director of Science and Technology, the position as Head of Tech Ops is open. Are you interested?"

Auggie's jaw dropped. She was offering him a promotion? He'd done some work in Tech Ops before, his degree was in Computer Science and his cover had been as a hacker. He knew he was qualified, but at the moment it seemed a bit daunting. He'd just started to learn how to use a computer again, with all he tech that made it accessible for him, and because he was struggling with grade 2 braille his progress in the computer lab was slower than he'd like it to be.

"Sure, I'm interested, but I have to admit it's a bit daunting."

"You still have about two months of rehab to go, right?"

"Two and a half month actually. I'm starting to get the hang of some things, there's still a long way to go." Auggie hung his head a bit.

"The position is yours if you want it. We don't want to loose you Auggie. You've got the perfect background for this kind of position; the combination of your experience as a field officer and your education is quite unique. You'll get a bump in pay and higher security clearance, as well as management status."

"When do you need my decision? As tempting as it is I do need some time to wrap my head around it and think about it."

"By the end of next week. We need some time to get the tech in place and set up your workspace, you know how the bureaucracy around here is. I'm sorry to cut this short, but I've got a briefing to go to."

"I understand Joan. I'll let you know as soon as I decide." His mind was racing, part of him wanted to take the job right then and there, but he really needed to think about it and talk it over with Annie.

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><p>"So, what did Joan want?" Annie asked as they were heading back to the rehab center.<p>

"She offered me a job, Head of Tech Ops."

"Wow, that's great! I guess you'll be the voice in my ear when you come back to work then?"

"I haven't decided if I'm taking it yet. Joan gave me a few days to think."

"What's up with the hesitancy? You'll rock in that job. It's perfect Auggie!"

Auggie couldn't help smiling at Annie's enthusiasm. "You think?"

"No Auggie. I know!" Annie said, patting Auggie's arm. "Now, are you hungry? There's an Olive Garden coming up and I'm actually starving."

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind some 'real' food." Auggie said with a smile. The day was turning out to be pretty good. He had a job; his worries about how to make a living for himself and his future with the CIA had been wiped away. Now it was just a matter of learning the skills he knew he needed over the next couple of months. He was going to double his efforts with Braille and in the computer lab for sure.


	4. Fed up

**Thanks for the reviews and alerts! :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything, wish I had an Auggie in my life though.**

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><p><strong>-Chapter 4-<strong>

A month after his meeting with Joan Auggie was feeling more hopeless than ever. The knowledge that he had a job waiting for him at the Agency had initially boosted his almost non-existent confidence, but his lack of progress in braille was holding him back. The contractions of grade 2 were still causing him serious trouble. He'd also lost more than a week of training to the mother of all migraines, being stuck in bed; even the smallest movements or sounds had been painful. Annie had been gone on a mission for the past two weeks and the only visitor he'd had lately was his oldest brother. He'd been in Richmond for a business meeting and Auggie suspected that the only reason he'd bothered to come see him was pressure from their mother. Auggie checked his new braille watch; it was almost time for his computer lesson. With a sigh he sat up in bed and searched for his cane, he'd haphazardly thrown it on the foot of the bed when he came back from breakfast earlier in the morning. It should have been something he looked forward to, but at this point everything was overwhelming. There was just too much to learn in too little time.

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After his computer lesson it was time for daily living skills. He hated it, he'd never been a fan of cooking, cleaning and other household chores and being blind certainly didn't make them any more enjoyable. He suffered through the two hour, lesson trying his best to appear interested in what the instructor told him. It was a huge relief when he was finished and could go back to his room. His lessons for the week were over, now all he had to look forward to was two days of listening to audio books and maybe a few walks in the park. He knew he should be spending the time on the braille assignments his instructor had left him, but he just didn't have the energy to focus on it at the moment. As soon as he entered his room he closed the door behind him and folded his cane and tossed it onto the bed. As much as he realized that the damn white stick was a useful tool he still hated the fact that he depended on it. When he was out in public he could feel people staring and he hated the 'field trips' his Orientation and Mobility instructor made him go on. He'd been out to eat with Annie a few times, he was uncomfortable then as well, but her company combined with real food had made it bearable. He hoped her mission was completed soon; he really missed her regular visits and phone calls.

########################

He'd been slumbering on his bed for a while when the music in his ear buds was replaced by the ringtone he'd assigned to Annie. He quickly tapped the screen of his iPhone to answer the call.

"Hi Annie, back from your mission?"

"Yep, just got back late last night. How are you doing? Are you getting the hang of grade 2 yet?"

"Don't even go there. It's just impossible. I think I should call Joan and tell her she needs to search for someone else to take over as Head of Tech Ops. There's no way in hell I'll be ready for it in just a month and a half."

Annie was shocked to hear how down and depressed Auggie sounded. The last time she'd spoken with him, he'd seemed pretty positive. She wondered what had happened in the weeks she'd been gone. Suddenly an idea popped into Annie's head.

"How about a change of scenery this weekend?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You're allowed to leave the rehab center for the weekend, right?"

"Yes, it's not like I'm in prison, even though it feels that way."

"Well, let them know you're leaving tonight and will be back Sunday afternoon or early evening. Pack clothes for two days and I'll pick you up in about two hours. Be ready!"

"Annie…" Auggie almost yelled into the phone, but she'd already ended the call.

* * *

><p>"Where are we going?" Auggie asked as Annie guided him to her car.<p>

"Michael's family has a small cottage just outside Virginia Beach, right on the beachfront. It's ours for the weekend."

"I'd rather just go to my place. I don't really feel like bumbling around like a fool in some totally unfamiliar place."

"Auggie, it's a beautiful summers weekend. Weather reports promise sunshine and temperatures around 100 degrees all weekend. Spending it coped up in a stuffy condo in DC hardly sounds tempting."

"At least I won't worry about running into furniture and finding stuff. I know my place inside and out."

"Stop it Auggie. I'm going to Virginia Beach. If you don't wanna go there you're free to stay here for the weekend."

"Ok, ok. Anything to get out of this place," he said with resignation in his voice. Spending the weekend with Annie beat being stuck in his room at the rehab center with audio books as his only source of entertainment, even if it meant bumbling around as a fool.

"Let's get going then."

* * *

><p>Late that evening they were sitting on the sofa in the living area of the cottage. To Auggie's relief the place was pretty open planned and there weren't too many pieces of furniture to trip over. Annie looked over at him. He was leaning forward; resting his forearms on his knees, head bowed and shoulders slumped. Something was obviously bothering him. She gently placed her hand on his forearm.<p>

"What's the matter Aug? And don't say nothing."

Auggie sighed. "Everything. I'm such a looser, can't even learn braille, since I can't get that down I'm having a hard time getting the computer skills I need. I'm sure as hell not going to be able to go back to work in just a little over six weeks. I'm calling Joan first thing Monday morning to let her know." A tear rolled down his cheek and his lower lip was trembling.

Annie didn't know what to say, so she just pulled Auggie in for a hug and started stroking his back soothingly. They sat in silence like that for a while; Auggie buried his face in the crook of Annie's neck and silent tears flooded. He was just exhausted, drained, both emotionally and physically.

"I totally get that you're tired, overwhelmed and that this is hard. I can't even imagine what you're going through. It's ok to be fed up, to need a break. That's why we're here this weekend, right? To get away from it all."

"That's the problem. I never get a damn break. It's not like I can just turn the lights on, is it?" Auggie pushed her away and moved to sit on the end of the couch.

"Oh Auggie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

"Could you just take me to the bedroom, please?" His voice was husky and Annie realized that continuing the conversation at the time was useless. Auggie just needed to rest.

"Sure, cum'ere," Annie said softly as she got up from the couch and touched his hand. Auggie grabbed her elbow and followed her into one of the bedrooms. She'd shown him the layout earlier that day.

"Thanks Annie. Good night."

"Night Auggie." Annie gave him a quick hug before she turned and left the room. As soon as he heard the door closing Auggie located his bag on the dresser and pulled out his sleep pants and a t-shirt. As he changed into his sleepwear he realized that he'd forgotten to brush his teeth, but he didn't wanna bother Annie again and he didn't feel like bumbling around on his own. He'd just have to live with furry teeth in the morning.

* * *

><p>The next morning Auggie woke to the sound of seagulls squawking outside his bedroom window and the fresh breeze from the sea coming through the open bedroom window. It took him a moment to realize where he was, that he wasn't at his room at the rehab center, but at with Annie at a cottage by the sea. He sat up in bed while rubbing his eyes, and then he pulled the covers back and got to his feet. He located his cane on the bedside table and unfolded it. He didn't wanna risk stubbing his toes or blundering into something. He grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste out of his toiletry bag and opened the door. When he stepped into the hallway the smell of freshly brewed coffee hit his nose. Annie was already up. He wondered what time it was as he heard familiar footsteps approaching.<p>

"Morning Auggie!" Annie greeted him cheerily.

"Good morning. Do I smell coffee?"

"Yes, just started the pot, should be ready in a few minutes."

"Would you mind showing me the bathroom while it brews? Nature calls and I forgot to brush my teeth last night. They feel kinda' furry."

"Sheesh Aug, I'm sorry! I totally forgot to ask if you needed to use the bathroom last night. You seemed like you just wanted to go to bed and be left alone."

"Well, you're right about that, so don't worry. I realize that bringing a cripple like me on a trip is like bringing an infant, sorry for being such a pain in the ass."

"Why do you even say that? What's been going on while I was away?"

"Annie! Bathroom, please?"

"Okay…" Annie guided Auggie to the bathroom and headed back to the kitchen to prepare French toast for breakfast. She was wondering how to lighten Auggie's mood and help him regain his drive and confidence. With only six weeks to go before he was supposed to be done with his rehab and be ready to go back to work at the Agency time was running out and Annie realized that she needed to come up with something fast.


	5. Weekend with Annie

**Thanks for the reviews, alerts and kind PM's. You guys rock! :o)**

**This update is a bit short, but it seemed like a natural place to stop. I hope to have another update ready this weekend.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

><p><strong>-Chapter 5-<strong>

Auggie was lying on his stomach, resting his head on his arms. Annie had managed to persuade him to come down to the beach with her over breakfast, sunbathing had never been his favorite activity. He had to admit to himself the feeling of the warm sun on his back combined with the slight breeze from the sea was nice. The sound of the waves hitting the beach was soothing and for the first time in weeks he felt some tension leaving his body. It was nice being away from the rehab center and he decided to try not to focus on all of the skills he still needed to learn and just relax for a couple of days.

"So, is it all that bad Aug?"

"Nah, it's actually kind of nice," he said with a slight smile. "I needed a break."

He felt Annies hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "That's what I thought too. I realize you can't just turn the lights on as you put it last night, but you can take a break from rehab, from braille and everything else for a couple of days, right?"

"Yeah. I still feel kinda guilty for not bringing the braille workbooks though."

"Don't Auggie. Take these two days to relax, recharge your batteries. The last couple of months have been hard for you and I know you've worked very hard. Look at how far you've come. Don't you think you deserve a timeout?"

Auggie didn't answer immediately, Annie's comment about how far he'd come caught him a bit off guard. She was right though; from being pretty much helpless he was now capable of taking care of himself and his orientation and mobility skills were getting better by the day. Yes, he had come a long way, but there was still a way to go before he was ready to go back to work.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he mumbled before drifting off to a slumber.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later they were back at the cottage, Annie was in the kitchen preparing sandwiches for lunch and Auggie was taking a shower. Annie was happy that she seemed to be succeeding in getting him to relax and taking his mind off rehab. The sound of a door opening and then his cane tapping down the hallway broke her thoughts and she looked up to see Auggie entering the living area wearing the same shorts he'd been wearing at the beach and one of his nerdy t-shirts.<p>

"Hey there! Hugry?"

"Starving actually."

"Good! I made us some sandwiches while you were taking a shower. Table's about three feet ahead of you, at your ten o'clock."

A couple of cane sweeps later Auggie located the table and took a seat. He folded the cane and placed it on the chair next to him. He heard the sound of a plate being set down in front of him, followed by what he assumed was a glass and a pitcher. He heard Annie rummaging around the kitchen before taking the seat next to him, setting down another plate on the table.

"Club Sandwich a la Annie to the right, salted chips on the left. Glass of iced tea at your two o'clock."

Auggie smiled and located a quarter sandwich on his plate. They ate in silence and Annie cleared the table after they finished.

"Sorry I'm not much help, I just have no idea where things are," Auggie said apologetically.

"Don't worry about it. I'll make sure you do your share for dinner later today. You have been moaning about those cooking lessons, now it's time to show off your skills," Annie responded while lightly punching Auggie's arm.

"As long as you're prepared to take me to the hospital when I take off a finger," he said with a wry smile.

"Oh, I've got the first aid kit ready and 911 on speed dial. You'll live."

"No compassion for the poor blind guy?"

"None whatsoever in this matter. You're helping me with dinner tonight and that's final."

* * *

><p>They spent the afternoon taking a long walk on the beach and then they sat on the deck in the sunshine for a few hours. Annie had brought a book and Auggie had a couple of audio books on his iPhone, so they sat silently enjoying their books for some time. Auggie broke the silence after his first book finished.<p>

"Annie?"

"Yeah…"

"Thanks for bringing me here."

"No need to thank me, Aug."

"Really Annie, you've managed to pull me back from the hole I've digging myself deeper and deeper into for the last few weeks."

"About that Auggie, what happened while I was gone?"

"Honestly I don't really know. I don't think it was one specific thing; it was just a mix of everything that was going on. Lack of progress with braille, leading to lack of progress in the computer lab, and then I was pretty much stuck in bed with a fierce migraine for more than a week, which set me back even more. I know I should be ecstatic about the fact that I have a job waiting for me, but it's a bit overwhelming and I'd like to have more time than I have." His tone was clear and firm, but laced with sadness and emotion. Annie grabbed his hand.

"As I've said before, I have no idea what you're going through or what this is like, but I'm here for you in any way I can."

"What I appreciate the most about you is that you're still Annie."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You don't treat me differently. Even when you came to see me at Walter Reed right after it happened you were just being your normal self, you didn't throw me a pity party and your voice didn't have that catch that everyone else had."

"Why would I treat you differently? You're still the same person, my best friend, right? The only thing that bomb messed up was your sight; the rest of you work just fine. And a pity party? No way, I think you should consider yourself lucky. You could be dead."

Auggie chuckled softly; Annie never ceased to amaze him. "You're right about that," he said quietly, his mind started to wander. Annie was right; he could have died like the rest of his unit. He started to realize that he was damn lucky to be alive.


	6. Progress at last

**Thanks for the feedback on the previous chapter! **

**S****eems like short updates to my stories is all I can manage at the moment, but I figure it's better with a short update than no update at all, right? ;o) Hopefully Christmas will boost my inspiration for a bigger update. **

**DISCLAIMER: The usual; I don't own Covert Affairs**

* * *

><p><strong><span>-Chapter 6-<span>**

When Auggie returned to the rehab center after his weekend with Annie he felt like a new person. The downtime had done him good and his energy had gotten much needed a boost. He was determined to get the hang of the skills he needed and be ready to return to the DPD on schedule. As soon as he got back to his room he sat down by his desk and got straight to work with his braille workbooks. Even if it meant studying into the small hours of the night every single day he _would_ get the hang of it.

* * *

><p>Friday afternoon Annie left the office early and headed for Richmond to see Auggie. She hoped he liked the surprise she had for him; a set of grade 2 braille flash cards and a Scrabble set with braille on the board and tiles. After parking the car she grabbed the boxes from the back seat and headed for Auggie's room. To Annie's surprise he wasn't there. She knew his lessons for the day should be over and dinner was an hour away, which usually meant finding Auggie lying on his bed with ear buds in his ears, listening to music or an audio book. She put the boxes with the flash cards and Scrabble game down on the desk and headed to the staff room down the hall. She knocked on the doorjamb.<p>

"Hi Annie, may I help you?" Susie, one of the volunteers, greeted her.

"Do you happen to know where I can find Auggie? He's not in his room."

"Try the computer lab. Ground floor, main hallway, 3rd door on the right side, he's been spending a lot of time there this week."

"Thanks." Annie turned and headed downstairs. She quickly located the computer lab and true to Susie's prediction Auggie was sitting by one of the computers, headphones covering his ears. His brows were scrunched together and he looked very focused. Annie approached him and placed one hand on his shoulder, which startled him. He jerked the headphones down to hang around his neck and turned towards her, inhaling deeply.

"Annie?"

"Yeah! Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

A brief smile crossed his face. "It's ok, I was just focused and didn't catch you coming."

"So, how are things going?"

"Pretty good actually. Still struggling with the braille, but I'm making some progress and I'm getting the hang of this computer stuff too."

"That's good," Annie said, squeezing his shoulder. "So, wanna show me how this works?"

"Sure, put on a pair of headphones." Annie found a pair of headphones, plugged them into the computer and pulled up a chair so she sat next to Auggie and he explained how the screen reading software and refreshable braille display worked. He was happy that he could actually show Annie that he was getting somewhere.

########################

Half an hour later they headed upstairs to his room, Annie was eager to see his reaction to her gifts.

"I've brought you something. One thing for fun and one thing for learning."

A curious look crossed Auggie's face and he tilted his head in her direction.

"You brought me gifts?" he asked with a teasing smirk, giving her elbow a squeeze.

"Yeah, I hope you like 'em."

They entered his room and Annie told him to sit down on the bed. She decided to show him the flash cards first.

"We'll do the learning part first. Here." She brushed the box against the back of Auggie's hand and he grabbed it. He brushed his hand across the top and located the braille label. He swept his right index finger across the label and smiled.

"Grade 2 flash cards?"

"Yep! Figured they'd be a good way to practice."

"Thanks Annie. Now, what's the fun part?"

"Here." She brushed the Scrabble box against his hand. He found the braille marking and a wide grin crossed his face.

"Scrabble?"

"Yep! The tiles have both braille markings and regular print, the same with the board. The board has a grid and is magnetic, so you won't have to worry about shuffling the tiles around."

"Cool! Up for a round?"

"Sure, how about later tonight? Right now I'm about ready for some dinner."

"Sounds good to me. Where do you wanna eat?"

"I was actually thinking we could go to Allen's tonight and we could spend the weekend at your place. I'll take the couch."

"I'm all for spending the weekend at my place, but I'm not so sure about Allen's."

"Why?"

"Because there are always plenty of people from the Agency there."

"Aug, you're going back to work in a few weeks anyway. Won't it be easier if you've seen some people beforehand?"

Auggie didn't immediately answer, he just pulled out his duffle bag from the bottom of his closet and put the boxes with the flash cards and the Scrabble game into it, along with a couple of changes of clothes. He fetched his toiletry bag from the bathroom and put that into the bag before zipping it up.

"Let's head to DC. I'm still undecided about Allen's, but I'll think about it in the car, ok?"

* * *

><p>As Auggie stepped over the threshold to his apartment he couldn't help but feeling a tinge of sadness. He hadn't been back after he returned from Iraq; his mother had gone and packed the stuff he'd brought with him to the rehab center. He was supposed to go there with an instructor from the rehab center a couple of weeks later to set things up for him and get the place "blind man proof". Annie noticed his hesitance and grabbed his left hand.<p>

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just feels kind of strange to be back here," he said. "I just need to get a feel for the place again."

"Just let me know if you need anything, I'll be on the sofa."

For the next fifteen minutes Auggie walked around his apartment, he knew it would take him a while to get comfortable with the layout and furniture placement, but he was thankful that he'd had a minimalist approach to decorating and his place was open planned. It made it easier to navigate. After his third round he joined Annie on the sofa. He still wasn't sure about Allen's.


	7. Allen's

**I thought I'd have plenty of time to write over Christmas and well, I did. My muse just didn't want to come out and play. This chapter was a struggle to finish and it's shorter than I'd like, but it's better than nothing, right? ;o)**

**DISCLAIMER: The usual - I don't own anything!**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 7<span>**

Auggie took a couple of deep breaths, trying his best to calm his nerves. He wasn't too sure about going to Allen's, but Annie did have a point; it was only little over a month until he was going back to work and he would have to face his co-workers anyway. His feelings ranged from being happy to see them again to worry and fear. His worries were mostly about how people would act, would they treat him differently? Would they accept him, despite his disability? His mind was racing.

"Are you ready for this?" Annie cut through his thoughts.

"I'm not sure, as ready as I'll ever be I guess," he said, while fidgeting with his cane. "Are you sure I look ok? No stains and you haven't deliberately dressed me up like a fool?"

Annie looked over at Auggie; she'd helped him locate a pair of dark jeans and a lavender shirt in his closet, and although he trusted her he couldn't help teasing her in an attempt to lighten his own mood.

"Auggie, you look great! I would never dress you up like a fool, you know that."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just nervous I guess."

"I get that Aug, and I see where you're coming from, but you have to do this sooner or later you know."

"Well, let's get this show on the road then," Auggie said as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

###################

When they entered the Tavern the buzz of voices and ambient sounds overwhelmed Auggie a bit. He'd been to a few restaurants with Annie, but they were pretty quiet compared to the busy bar. Annie could feel his grip on her elbow tightening. She patted the hand that was holding her arm reassuringly.

"Relax Auggie, we'll have fun!"

Annie led him to a table in the back, a little away from the crowd. He sat down, folded his cane and placed it on the table in front of him while Annie headed for the bar to get them a pitcher of beer. A hand on his shoulder startled him.

"Auggie, so great to see you!" It was Jack Harper, a senior field operative and old friend of Auggie. They'd talked on the phone a few times since Auggie returned from Iraq, but he had respected Auggie's wishes and not visited him at the rehab center.

"Jack! Have a seat, Annie's at the bar, she should be back soon."

Auggie heard the sound of the chair next to him being pulled out and the thud of a glass being set down on the wooden table.

"How are you holding up Augs?"

"Not too bad actually. I'm starting to get the hang of things," he replied honestly.

"You look good, although you could use a haircut," Jack said in a joking tone.

"Hi Jack," Annie said as she sat down the pitcher and two mugs she was carrying and pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Jack tells me I need a haircut. Why haven't you informed me about that?" Auggie asked Annie, a mock pout on his face.

"Because I like the shaggy look. Beer at your two o'clock."

"Thanks Annie," Auggie said as he located the mug of beer and took a hefty swig.

"So, Joan tells me you're coming back to the DPD in a few weeks. Tech Ops, right? Guess you're gonna put your computer skills to good use."

"When Annie came to bring me to Langley for a meeting with Joan I was prepared for her to offer me a severance package and let me go. I couldn't believe my ears when she offered me John's job. A promotion was the last thing I expected. I have to admit it's kind of daunting, but I'm willing to give it a try. Anything to get back to doing something useful for the greater good I guess."

"I'm sure you'll do great Auggie. You're a natural leader and you know computers inside and out. Having a handler that actually has field experience will be great. I really look forward to working with you again."

"Thanks Jack," Auggie said, not really knowing what to say. "Hey Annie, are you still here?" he asked in the direction where Annie was sitting, she'd gone quiet.

"Oh, sorry guys. Just got this email from Danielle I got caught up in."

Annie shoved her iPhone back into her pocket and threw herself into the conversation.

* * *

><p>When they arrived back at Auggie's apartment late that night he felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The night had gotten off to a great start with Jack and as the night progressed several co-workers had warmly greeted him. A few awkward moments aside the night had been success. Everyone seemed happy that he was coming back to the DPD. It had taken some of his doubts about his decision to return to the Agency away, but he still wasn't sure he'd made the right decision.<p>

"I'll take the couch, you take the bed," he said as they were getting ready to go to bed.

"No Aug, you're sleeping in your own bed tonight, I already said I'd take the couch."

"Then we'll share the bed. It's a king-size and big enough for both of us, we're both adults and it's not like it hasn't happened before."

Annie hesitated for a second, but realized he was right. They were both adults and his bed was big. It actually wouldn't be the first time they shared a bed, it had happened a few times in the past, mostly in cramped quarters on missions. They had both passed out drunk in each others bed in the past too.

"Just don't get handsy Mr. Anderson," Annie said in a teasing tone.

"Oh har, Miss Walker, very funny," Auggie replied as he cautiously crossed the room and made his way to the bed and climbed in under the covers. He heard Annie's footsteps crossing the floor and then he heard the rustle of textiles as she lifted the covers and he felt the bed depressing slightly as she got in. Within minutes they were both fast asleep.

##################

They spent most of Saturday just relaxing. They walked around the neighborhood, both for the exercise and fresh air and for Auggie to reacquaint himself with the area. They had lunch at the small café down the block and in the evening they prepared dinner together. After dinner they played several games of Scrabble and did some damage to Auggie's stash of liquor.

##################

After breakfast on Sunday Auggie pulled out the box of Grade 2 Braille flashcards. Auggie was surprised to learn that Annie pretty much had Grade 1 Braille down pat.

"When did you learn that? How?"

"I picked up a book at the library a couple of weeks ago. Figured it was just another language and it couldn't be that hard. I suppose the real challenge is reading by touch? I feel a bit like I'm cheating, reading it by sight."

"Yep, reading it by sight is cheating," Auggie said with a grin. "It's hard reading by touch, that's what I'm struggling with."

They spent a couple of hours with the flash cards and by the time they put them back into the box Auggie had a few more symbols down. In the early afternoon they packed their bags, made sure they hadn't left any dirty dishes or leftover food and finally headed out to Annie's car. Auggie looked forward to going back to his place with one of the instructors some time in the next few weeks to "blind guy proof" it and prepare it for him returning permanently in five weeks.


	8. The puzzle is coming together

**I planned on publishing this last night, but for some reason I couldn't access the login part of . Sorry for the delay.**

**Thanks for the reviews and alerts on the previous chapters. You are the best! :) As Auggie's rehab is coming to an end, so is this story. There will probably be another two or three chapters and maybe an epilogue, I have the basic plot line ready, but I'm not sure how many chapters it will fill. I guess I'll need to see where my muse takes me.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Covert Affairs, Annie or Auggie. The only things I own are a Covert Affairs DVD and an autographed photo of Chris Gorham. ;)**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 8<span>**

"Nice place Auggie!" Susie said as Auggie let her and Joanna, his daily living skills instructor into his apartment. He smiled as he followed them and slid the heavy door shut. He'd been looking forward to coming here to set up his place for his return. He was also starting to look forward to returning to work at the DPD.

"Thanks. So Joanna, will it be a challenge to blind guy proof it?" he asked as he folded his cane and placed it on the kitchen island.

"Not at all, it's actually almost perfect as it is. It's open planned and you don't have too much furniture. Mind shoving us the bathroom and the bedroom?"

"Sure. Bathroom is through here," Auggie walked into his bathroom and then through the door to the bedroom. "And this is the bedroom. The door over here leads back to the living area." Auggie opened it and finished the circuit.

"Looks like the bathroom and bedroom can stay as they are. I suggest you replace your gas hob with a ceramic one like the ones we have at the center. There are also a few other minor adjustments I recommend, like replacing your coffee table and end tables. You should get ones with rounded corners and maybe solid bases. That don't require immediate action, it's just something you should consider."

They spent two days organizing everything in his cabinets and his wardrobe. Auggie had always liked things in order, his mother had demanded it from her sons to avoid total chaos with five boys in the house and he was thankful for that now. It would be a necessity in this new life of his. The wardrobe organization was what took the longest time. Auggie's wardrobe wasn't the most colorful one and most of his clothes could be worn together. With the help of Joanna and Susie all of his clothes were identified and tagged to avoid any fashion mishaps.

"Where did you do your laundry? I noticed that there's no washer and dryer here."

"The building has a laundry room on the ground floor and I used a laundry service for my suits, dress shirts and stuff like that. I thought I'd just use the laundry service for everything now. They have a pickup and delivery service, so I don't have to worry about getting stuff there and back. It's just a matter of getting in touch with them and set things up." Joanna argued that he could still use the buildings laundry facilities the same way he had before, that it was just a matter of adding some Braille labels to the washers and dryers. He'd been doing his own laundry at the rehab center, and frankly he didn't mind, but he public laundry facility in his building was a different story. He made it clear that his decision was final.

* * *

><p>When he returned to his room at the rehab center that night Auggie felt like the pieces of the puzzle were finally coming together. His apartment was ready for his return, he'd been in touch with his laundry service and had upgraded to a full service plan with pickup once a week, he'd been in touch with the closest grocery store that delivered and set up an account with them and a few other details were taken care off. Joanna would order the cooktop and have it replaced before his return to his place about two weeks later. As he changed out of the jeans and polo shirt he'd ben wearing and into his sleepwear his iPhone ringing interrupted his thoughts. It was the tone he'd assigned to Joan. Auggie didn't understand why on earth was Joan calling him at 9:30 at night. He'd talked with her several times since he'd agreed to return to the DPD and he was due to go to Langley with his Orientation and Mobility instructor to reacquaint himself with the offices and get to know his new workspace a few days later. He hadn't expected to hear from Joan until then. He located the phone on the dresser and answered the call.<p>

"Anderson."

"Auggie, it's Joan. Sorry to call you at this hour. How are you?"

"Fine Joan. Getting everything set to return to 'real life' again, or at least some version of it. How are you?"

"All's good here Auggie. Listen, we need your help. Annie's on her way down there to get you."

"What's going on Joan?" Auggie's curiosity was piqued.

"Can't go into details on the phone, sorry. Annie should be there in about half an hour and she'll read you in on the way to DC. I'll see you back here in a couple of hours."

"Okay. I'll be ready. See you later." Auggie placed the phone back on the dresser and briefly considered putting on the suit Annie had brought for his meeting with Joan, but decided against it. They were dragging him out of a rehab center late at night and they should be happy he wasn't wearing sweats. He got dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a tailored black shirt, brushed his teeth and hair. Butterflies the size of elephants was moving around his stomach as he headed downstairs to wait for Annie 25 minutes later.

* * *

><p>"So, what's going on? What's the rush?" Auggie asked Annie as they were speeding back to Langley.<p>

"The Russian arms dealer case blew up and since you were running point on it Joan wants you to brief the officers taking over with everything you know. They're leaving for St. Petersburg first thing in the morning."

"_The_ Russian arms dealer case?"

"Mhmm…"

"It's been more than a year, I don't know how much use I'll be."

"Aug, you have the most incredible memory of anyone I've ever known. The officers have been fully briefed on everything on file. Joan just wants you to fill inn any blanks, you know the nuances and nitty-gritty details that might not be in the file."

Auggie sighed and leaned back in the seat. He spent the rest of the drive trying to retrieve every memory on the case. He couldn't help feeling a bit apprehensive. He wanted to appear confident and capable, it was only little over two weeks 'til his permanent return to the DPD and as much as he looked forward to it there was still a insecurity lingering in the back of his head.

"Auggie, are you ok?" Annie asked a few minutes later.

"Sure, just thinking, trying to jog my memory. Why do you ask?"

"You keep fidgeting with your cane, you usually do that when you're nervous or uncomfortable."

"I am a bit nervous, I'll admit that."

Annie just reached over and squeezed his forearm reassuringly. They rode the rest of the way to Langley in silence. As they cleared the security checkpoint a small smile crossed Auggie's face as reality hit him; the CIA and Joan still had enough faith in him to call him late at night for a last minute briefing on a big case and instead of offering him a severance package Joan had promoted him to Head of Tech Ops. He realized that he needed to start believing in himself and his abilities again.


	9. Coming home

**Thanks for the reviews and alerts on the previous chapter, they really kicked the muse into gear and here's the longest chapter of this story so far. It's been a while since I've been on such a roll with a chapter! :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Covert Affairs, Annie or Auggie.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 9: Coming home<span>

"I guess that's it, unless you can spot something I've missed?" Auggie said with a glance in Joanna's direction. It was Friday and Auggie was packing his bags and getting ready to leave the rehab center. He was nervous about leaving the safe confines of rehab, but at the same time he was also a bit excited about going back to his place and getting back to work the following Wednesday. He was glad he had a few days to settle in before throwing work into the equation.

"Looks like you've got everything. Good job!" Joanna said as she patted him on the shoulder. "Is Annie picking you up?"

"Yeah, she should be here in about half an hour or so, depending on how bad traffic out of DC is."

"You're lucky to have a friend like her," Joanna said with a smile.

"I know. I guess I kind of took her for granted before, but over the last few months I've realized just how much she means to me."

Auggie turned his head towards the door as another person entered the room; the clink of bangles around her wrist confirmed his suspicion that it was Hannah, his Orientation and Mobility instructor.

"Hannah! Come to say goodbye?"

"Yes, and to give you this," Hannah said as she brushed a folded cane against Auggie's hand and he grasped it. He examined it with a puzzled look on his face.

"A cane? I already have one."

"I know, but you should always have a spare."

"Thanks, both for the cane and for…" Auggie was momentarily at a loss for words. "Well, for everything you've done for me. That goes for both of you. I really appreciate your effort. I know I've been far from the perfect patient at times, but you got me through it and I wouldn't bee where I am today without you."

* * *

><p>Little over an hour later Auggie was in Annie's car, heading back to DC and back to real life.<p>

"So Aug, are you looking forward to returning to your own place?"

"Yep, but I have to admit I'm kind of nervous about it too. Hopefully I'll manage."

"You'll be fine, according to your instructors you're more than ready."

"I sure hope they're right…" Auggie's voice trailed off and he hung his head. Annie gave his arm a squeeze and turned her attention back to the road. They rode in silence for a while. As they got closer to DC something came to Annie's mind.

"Auggie, do you need to stop at a grocery store?"

Auggie sighed, he'd been to a grocery store with Joanna a few times and he hated it, it was why he'd arranged to have his groceries delivered. Unfortunately it was Friday afternoon and he wouldn't be able to get a delivery until late Monday.

"Yeah, I do. There's not much food wise at my place at the moment and I didn't think about the fact that it's Friday and I won't be able to get a delivery until after the weekend."

"There's a Safeway up ahead, why don't we stop there?"

"Sure. Annie, I hope you don't mind helping me out a bit, finding your way around a grocery store without seeing is just about impossible." Auggie blushed slightly and hung his head.

"Of course I'll help you. What did you think I was about to do? Drop you off at the entrance and wait for you in the car?" Annie asked, half teasing and half annoyed that Auggie even had to ask her.

"Sorry Annie, you're right. Stupid question," Auggie said with a smile in her direction as he heard her put on the blinker and felt the car turn off the freeway. A few minutes later they were parked and Annie was leading him towards the entrance of the store.

"Cart or basket Aug?"

"Cart. If you don't mind I might as well get more than a little emergency shopping done, that way I won't have to worry about ordering groceries first thing."

"No problem. I'll even help you label things and get organized when we get back to your place."

They spent the next 40 minutes filling up the cart with everything from the basics to fresh fruit and vegetables and of course; a decent stash of Auggie's favorite beers and a couple of bottles of wine. To Annie's surprise he also insisted on ingredients for a few homemade meals in addition to the variety of microwave dinners he got.

"I sure hope there's a free parking space not too far from your building," Annie commented as they moved the grocery bags from the cart to the trunk of her car.

"If all else fails you can use one of the handicapped parking spaces outside my building. For some reason one of the social workers at rehab put in an application for a permit for me and she gave me the badge a couple of days ago. It's in my messenger bag. It's not something I plan on using or taking advantage of though, there's nothing wrong with my legs, but apparently I'm eligible 'cause I'm registered as legally blind now," Auggie finished with a sigh, looking slightly embarrassed. Annie didn't answer, she just patted Auggie's shoulder and told him she was going to the cart return with the cart. She unlocked the car and Auggie trailed the side of the car with the back of his left hand until he found the front passenger door and slipped into the seat.

##########################

"That's it then, all stashed away. Do you know where everything is?" Annie asked Auggie as she put the last box of cereal into the cabinet.

"Yeah, I have a general idea and everything is labeled, so it shouldn't be a problem. Thanks for helping me Annie."

"No problem Auggie. Now, if you don't need anything else I should get going, I promised Danielle I'd be home for dinner tonight. I've been on the Russian watch desk a bit lately and with the time difference I've been working odd hours and I've missed quite a few family dinners."

"I'm all set. Just need to unpack my suitcase and duffle, but I can manage that on my own," Auggie said, hoping his disappointment wasn't too evident. He'd kind of hoped Annie would stick around and they could've gone to Allen's or somewhere for dinner together.

"See you later then. Call me if you need anything, ok?" Annie said as she pulled him in for a brief hug.

"Thanks Annie. See you." Auggie closed and locked the door behind her and carefully made his way across to the fridge and got a beer out. He crossed the room and sat down on the sofa. The disappointment about Annie leaving lifted a bit. It actually felt good to be alone for a bit too. He hadn't been truly alone since before he was deployed to Iraq and Auggie had always savored the occasional occurrence of solitude and quiet. Growing up with four older brothers in a house that was always buzzing with life it had been a rare treat in his childhood and teen years. He took a hefty swig of beer and leaned back to the cushions of his well-known sofa with a small smile on his face. It was good to be home again.

* * *

><p>Saturday morning his iPhone buzzing on his nightstand waked Auggie. It took him a few seconds to realize he was at home in his bed and not at the rehab center. He groped around and located the phone and answered with a sleepy "Hello".<p>

"Auggie, how are you? You don't sound too well." It was his mother; her voice was laced with worry.

"Hi Mom, I'm fine, you woke me up."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You've always been an early bird and I figured you'd be up by now."

"Sleeping in my own bed kind of knocked me out I guess. What time is it?"

"It's 9:30 here, so it's 10:30 in DC."

Auggie groaned and sat up in bed. "Sheesh, I can't believe I slept that long. Haven't done that in years."

"So, how does it feel to be back at your own place?"

"It feels good actually, really good. How's everything in Glencoe?"

Auggie chatted with his mother for a few more minutes and promised to keep in touch and keep her up to speed on how his life was going. When he finished the call he got out of bed and went to start a pot of coffee in the kitchen. With the coffee brewing he headed for the bathroom for a shower and shave. After dressing in his favorite pair of worn jeans, a t-shirt and his Army hoodie he ambled back to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. With a contented sigh he leaned back on the counter and inhaled the aroma of his favorite French roast before taking the first sip. A couple of sips later he topped off his mug and sat down on the sofa. He quickly located the TV remote and flipped channels 'til he hit CNN. He spent a good hour listening to the news, catching up on what was happening around the world.

###########################

Around noon his iPhone started buzzing again, this time he'd turned off silent mode and he recognized the ringtone he'd assigned to Annie.

"Hi Annie, what's cookin'?"

"Hey there, you sound perky today," Annie chuckled.

"Just happy to be home. Got a good nights sleep and I've spent a relaxing morning with my favorite French roast and CNN."

"That's great! I'm sorry for ditching you last night; I could sense your disappointment. It's just that my relationship with Danielle hasn't been the best lately. She's becoming increasingly suspicious regarding my job and she would've had my hide if I missed last night's dinner too."

"I was a bit disappointed at first, but to be honest I got over it pretty fast. It was actually kind of nice to be alone, really alone, for the first time in months. Just me, Mingus and a few beers you know," Auggie said sincerely, and then his voice got worried as he asked Annie what was going on with Danielle.

"I don't know, she just keeps asking tons of questions about my schedule, why I'm working all these crazy hours, second guessing how working at the Smithsonian can cause all the last minute travels…" Annie's voice trailed off. "Anyway, I think I might have to read her in soon, but I'm not sure how she'll react."

"Oh Annie, I'm so sorry to hear that. How long has this been going on? Why haven't you told me?"

"It's been going on for a couple of months. I figured you had enough on your plate and I didn't want to bother you with my problems."

"Annie, I'm your best friend and although I've had plenty of stuff to deal with lately I would hate for our friendship to become a one-way street. I know I couldn't have gotten through the last few months without you, now please let me be there for you. Do you have any plans this afternoon and evening?"

"No. I'm actually alone, Danielle, Michael and the girls went to Baltimore for an overnight at Michael's parents and won't be back until tomorrow afternoon."

"Then come over here. I'll marvel you with my cooking skills and we can hang out. I've expanded my collection of 'blind-guy-proof' board games to include Monopoly and Chess or we can watch a movie or something."

"Thanks Auggie, that sounds nice. When do you want me to come over?"

"How around 4 o'clock? I've got a few things to sort out and then I'm all yours for the rest of the day."

"Great! See you later Auggie."

"Later," Auggie said and ended the call.

Auggie spent a good part of the afternoon preparing homemade lasagna for dinner and by the time Annie arrived at 4:30 the lasagna was in the fridge, ready to be put in the oven. He'd also made a tomato salad and had a bag of frozen garlic bread in the freezer.

"Wow Auggie, it smells amazing here," Annie exclaimed as Auggie let her in to his place.

"Well, thanks Miss Walker. It'll smell even better when I pop the lasagna in the oven."

"You made your lasagna?" Annie asked. Auggie's lasagna was one of her favorite foods.

"Yep! I know you love it and I wanted to cheer you up," Auggie said with a smile.

"Getting back on Saint Bernard duty, huh?" Annie laughed, giving Auggie a nudge with her elbow.

"Yep!" He stated with a teasing grin. "Hey, do you wanna go for a walk before dinner? It's a bit early to eat I think."

"Sure, it's a nice, crisp fall day."

"Do I need a jacket?" Auggie asked.

"Nah, it's pretty warm outside, the hoodie should do."

Auggie grabbed his keys and cane from the kitchen island and waited for Annie to offer her arm. They spent the next hour walking around Auggie's neighborhood; Annie occasionally window-shopped in some of the small boutiques that lined the streets in the area, Auggie patiently waited, leaning on his cane. He didn't mind, he actually enjoyed the sounds and smells and just being with Annie. Over the last few weeks he'd become increasingly aware of the fact that his feelings for Annie went beyond friendship, but he was unsure of how to approach her about it.

When they returned to Auggie's place he turned on the oven and then he pulled two beers out of the fridge and offered Annie one of them. They sat down on the sofa while waiting for the oven to heat.

"So, what's going on with Danielle?" Auggie asked.

"I'm pretty sure she's not buying that I'm working at the Smithsonian anymore. She's constantly questioning me about my crazy work hours, interrogating me on every time I'm sent out on a mission on short notice. I don't know what to do about it. It's driving me absolutely nuts. I don't think I can get away from reading her in much longer. She's too suspicious."

"Then you should read her in," Auggie said firmly.

"You think? I'm worried about her reaction, I have a feeling she won't take it well."

"Annie, there's no protocol on this, and there's no way to prepare the person on the other end. It's a matter of you being ready."

"Honestly, I'm not sure I'm ready, but I don't think I can get around it much longer. Have you read any of your family in?"

Auggie nodded. "Mom and Dad, when I went to see them right before I left for Iraq."

"How did they react?"

"Disbelief and pride. Dad was pretty hard to convince, he couldn't believe that little Auggie had been recruited by the CIA straight out of MIT," Auggie said with a chuckle.

"Why did you read them in? Did you have to?"

"Not really, but they didn't really get why I dumped Natasha out of the blue and then she was arrested. Mom asked a lot of questions that were kind of hard to answer without revealing I worked for the Agency and I decided to tell them the truth."

Auggie's oven beeped, letting them know that it had reached the correct temperature. He got up and got the dish with the lasagna out of the fridge and popped it in the oven. Annie did her best not to stare, she'd learned that Auggie seemed to have developed some kind of sixth sense that detected people staring at him, but he couldn't help admiring how easily he moved around his kitchen.

"You want another beer?" he asked Annie as he reached in the fridge to get another one for himself.

"Sure. Thanks Aug."

After dinner Annie helped Auggie clean the kitchen and they settled down on the sofa and watched a movie they'd both seen before. It made it easier for Auggie to follow it and Annie didn't have to describe the non-dialogue scenes to him. It also allowed them to chat, as they didn't really have to pay close attention to what was going on. At some point during the movie Annie drifted off to a slumber, leaning against Auggie. He finished the movie and checked the time; almost 10 at night. It was clear to him that Annie wouldn't be driving home that night, they'd had several beers each and they'd shared a bottle of red wine for dinner. He gently shook her shoulder. "Annie, do you want to spend the night, or should I call a cab for you?"

Annie groaned and yawned before answering. "Would you mind if I crashed on your couch?"

"Of course not. But we can share the bed. It hasn't shrunk since the last time we did it. Let me get you a pair of sleep pants and a t-shirt, I'm guessing you didn't bring an overnight bag?" Auggie got up and held out his hand for her to take.

"You're too kind to me Auggie," she said as she took his hand and got to her feet and let him lead her into the bedroom.

"That's what Saint Bernard's are for!" Auggie responded with a smile on his face.


	10. Back to work

******We're approaching the end of Auggie's journey, in this chapter he returns to work at the DPD. I have a storyline for another chapter, which is in the works and will be posted sometime soon, then I think this story will be complete.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own 'Covert Affairs'.**

* * *

><p><strong>-Chapter 10: Back to work-<strong>

When he woke up Tuesday morning, with his return to the DPD only about 24 hrs away Auggie was feeling more than a little nervous. Even if he'd realized that Joan had faith in him and his capabilities and several of his co-workers had expressed that they were looking forward to working with him again he couldn't push all his insecurities about returning to the Agency away. He knew there were people at the Agency that had reservations about a blind man filling his job, that there had been grumblings and Joan had put up a fight to keep him with at the DPD. That knowledge was slightly unnerving. He wished Annie was there, he needed to talk to someone, but she'd been called out on yet another short-notice mission and was currently in Rome, Italy working a potential asset. He knew that the next time he spoke to her was likely to be through a secure line from his new office at Langley. Over the last couple of days he'd started to realize that sitting around his apartment alone gave his mind a bit too much room to wander and explore everything that could go wrong. He wished his new computer would be delivered soon; he missed having access to a computer. With a sigh he got out of bed and headed for the bathroom to get ready for the day.

###################

Half an hour later he was sitting on one of the stools by the kitchen island with a mug of coffee and a bagel in front of him when his iPhone started ringing. It was the tone he'd assigned to Joan. He quickly swallowed the bite of bagel he was chewing and cleared his throat before answering the phone in a measured, professional tone.

"Anderson."

"Auggie, it's Joan. How are you doing?"

"I'm good. Can't wait to get back to work tomorrow, sitting around my apartment without computer access is driving me kind of nuts to be honest."

"You don't have a computer?" Joan asked; sounding genuinely surprised.

"Well, my new computer is a bit delayed and won't arrive until next week. My old laptop doesn't do me much good these days. What can I do for you today Joan?"

"I just wanted to make sure you're still ready to start working again tomorrow."

"Don't worry, I'll be there. To be honest I'm not so sure I'm ready, but I need to try."

"Everything is ready for you at the office. You get to play with some expensive toys."

"Tell me about it. My savings account might recover from the damage sometime before I retire," Auggie said with a chuckle.

"Anyway, we're having a staff meeting this afternoon, Hannah, one of your instructors from rehab is coming to give everyone some pointers on how to work with a blind guy. I just wanted to check if you wanted to attend that meeting?"

"Nah, I think Hannah's got it covered. Just make one thing clear; unless I ask for assistance I can manage on my own. I might struggle a bit with some things to begin with, but I need and want to figure it out on my own as much as possible."

"Sure Auggie, but remember, there's nothing wrong with asking for assistance if you need it."

" I know, but please humor me Joan. I'm not about to come back as the 'helpless blind guy' that needs help all the time."

"Auggie, you would not be coming back to the DPD in the position you're going to fill if I thought you were helpless and in need of constant assistance," Joan stated firmly, sounding slightly exasperated. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow morning then, 8:30, my office. You've got an appointment with HR at 7:45."

"I know Joan. I'll be there; car service will pick me up at 7 in the morning. See you tomorrow."

* * *

><p>The next morning Auggie woke up early. He hadn't really got much sleep, he'd been mostly tossing and turning in bed. At 5:30 am he finally gave in and went to the bathroom. He took his time in the shower; the feeling of the hot water cascading down his body was somewhat soothing. After shaving, brushing his teeth and blow drying his hair he went to his closet and pulled out the outfit he'd put together the previous day. The Tech Ops crew wasn't required to wear suits to work and he didn't want to separate himself from his team by showing up in one. He'd put together a pair of black dress slacks and a tailored navy shirt, topped with a black vest. After dressing he went back to the bathroom and brushed his hair. He'd let it grow out to where it was before he was deployed to Iraq and he did his best to tame the wavy brown locks. After two cups of strong coffee he checked the time. 6:50 am; time to head downstairs to wait for the car service vehicle. He put his wallet into his pocket and grabbed his cane and keys from their place on the kitchen island and headed downstairs.<p>

###################

After his meeting with Human Resources he set his cane in motion and walked as confidently as he could manage to the DPD offices. As he reached the double glass doors leading into the DPD ops center he took a deep breath before he reached for the door handle and entered. He was immediately surrounded by his co-workers and after what seemed like an endless stream of man hugs and pats on the back Joan's familiar voice rang sharply across the bullpen.

"If you're done chitchatting there's work to be done. Auggie, my office."

"Guess I'd better get in there, don't wanna get in trouble with the boss on my first day back," Auggie chuckled as he extracted himself from the final hug and headed for Joan's office. As he entered and closed the door behind him he heard the rustle of fabric and familiar footsteps approaching. Before he knew it Joan pulled him in for a brief, but warm hug. She broke the embrace and touched the back of Auggies left hand. He tentatively grasped her right elbow.

"Welcome back Auggie! I'm so happy to have you back. Have a seat," Joan said as she led him across the room and placed his hand on the back of one of the chairs in front of her desk. He quickly folded his cane and sat.

"I did that right?" she asked as she took her seat.

"Yep, Hannah taught you?"

"Yes, as I told you she was here for the staff meeting yesterday. I delivered your message by the way."

"Thanks Joan. I appreciate that. So, where do you want me to start?"

"Annie's progress in Rome is painfully slow. Here's the file," Joan said as she brushed a folder against Auggie's outstretched hand. He grabbed it. "Read it, see if we missed anything, if there's any other way you'd approach this." Auggie sensed a dismissal and started rise from his chair.

"Oh, one more thing Auggie. Give me your hand." Auggie stashed the file between his thigh and side of the chair and stretched his right hand towards Joan. She placed an object in his hand. It felt like a small flashlight.

"Um, what's this?"

"Your new cane. It's based on lasers and echolocation. Reva's team on the Advanced Technology desk has been playing with it for a while, we figured you'd make a good test subject."

"Wow, cool. Exactly how does this work?" Joan explained quickly and by the end of her explanation Auggie had a big grin plastered on is face. He rose from his seat and walked carefully around Joan's office, testing the laser cane.

"This is awesome! Thanks Joan."

"Thank Reva and her team. Just one thing; it can't leave this building, it's classified."

"Got it. Stick to this outside the office," Auggie said with a smile as subtly searched the chair and grabbed his folded cane and the case file.

"That's right. Now get to work," Joan said with a smile evident in her voice.

* * *

><p>When he returned home in the afternoon Auggie was relieved. His first day at work had gone well. He'd handled a brush pass mission in Paris with success and there had been none of the awkward moments he'd feared. The best part of the day had been talking to Annie, even if it was a recorded conversation on a secure line. He'd found a few possible approaches for Annie to try with the asset and he hoped she'd get a breakthrough and finish so she could return to DC soon. Hearing her voice had made it even clearer that he missed her a lot. When his head hit the pillow he was looking forward to going to work the next day.<p> 


	11. Epilogue

******Here's finally the ending of 'Auggie's cheerleader'. I've written the final chapter as sort of an epilogue. I've had a few requests for a sequel, and I'm not completely closing the door on that option, but at the moment I don't really have any clear ideas for that story. Thanks to all of you that have followed this story! Reviews and alerts are great motivations and I really appreciate them. :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything, I just like to play with the characters. :o)**

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

Three weeks after his return to the DPD Auggie was sitting in his office working on a decryption. It had been giving his team trouble for a while and he'd volunteered to check it out. At the moment there were no ops going on and most of the team were shutting down their computers and clearing their desks, eager to get home for the weekend. He listened to them chatting for a second, then he turned his attention back to the decryption, he was getting somewhere with it, but progress was slow and he had to focus hard to follow the flow of code on his refreshable Braille display. With the use of his eyes he would probably have cracked the code already. "Stop it Aug," he thought. "You're not going down that road."

In general the transition back to the DPD had gone smoother than he'd dared to hope for. Although the prospect of being chained to a desk for the rest of his career was sort of frustrating to him he realized that he should be grateful that he still had a job with the CIA. So far there had only been one incident that had felt like a slap in the face; a field officer had refused to work with him when he realized he was blind. No matter what Joan said it hadn't made a difference and he'd ended up handing the case over to one of the guys on his team. It had been a few days since the incident now, but it still stung and even Joan's reassurances hadn't helped. He'd been prepared for incidents like that, but when it happened it had still felt like a major blow to the face. He needed to speak to Annie about it, but she was in London on a mission. To his relief the Tech Ops team didn't seem to have any problems with having him as their boss. Auggie was a natural leader and he had always had the ability to gain the trust and respect of his subordinates almost immediately. Fortunately it didn't seem like being blind had changed that.

* * *

><p>Late Friday afternoon Auggie was waiting for Annie to arrive, she was due back from her mission that evening. A while later Annie walked through the front doors at Langley. When she entered the DPD she passed Auggie's office on her way to drop the intel off at Joan's office. She couldn't help smiling at the sight of her best friend behind his computer. Earphones were covering his ears and his fingers switched between typing lightening fast and swiping across the Braille display beneath his keyboard. His brows were furrowed with concentration. Joan's voice pulled her out of her musings; <em>"When you're done staring at Auggie I'd like to see you in my office."<em> Annie quickly straightened her suit and walked purposefully into Joan's office, trying her best to hide the embarrassment of being called out on staring at her best friend.

After debriefing and dropping off her intel with Joan Annie headed for the Tech Ops office. As she slid the door to the office open Auggie pulled his headphones down to hang around his neck and swiveled his chair towards the door. He inhaled deeply and a big smile spread across his face.

"_Miss Walker! You're back!"_

"_Yep! How's it hangin'? You up for a few beers at the Tavern tonight?"_

"_How 'bout beers and a pizza at my place? It's been a long week and I don't really feel like going out. Is that ok with you?"_

"_Sure! I'm actually tired from the flight and I'm still on London time, so just hangin' at your place sounds nice." _Annie was tired, but she also had a feeling that Auggie needed to speak to her in private. It seemed like something was bugging him.

"_It's a deal then. Give me 10 minutes and I'm ready to go."_

"_Sure, I'll go check my email and then we'll head out."_

Auggie couldn't help smiling as he turned his attention back to the decryption. He'd missed Annie, even though they'd talked several times a day while she'd been in London. It wasn't the same as having her around, riding with her to work, her bringing him coffee, them having lunch together or hanging at the Tavern or Auggie's place after work. After a few minutes he realized he wasn't going to finish the decryption today anyway and saved his progress so far and shut down the program. He quickly pulled up his email and checked it before he logged off and powered down his computer. After retrieving his folded white cane from the desk drawer and locking his laser cane, his new favorite toy, away he made his way to Annie's desk.

"_Ready to go?"_ he asked as he perched himself on the corner of her desk. He could hear her typing.

"_Yeah, I'm ready. Just let my shut down the computer."_

* * *

><p>About an hour later they were comfortable on Auggie's couch, they were on their second round of beer and the pizza should arrive shortly. Auggie had changed from his office clothes into a pair of sweatpants and a worn Atari t-shirt and he'd loaned Annie a similar outfit. One of Annie's favorite things about Auggie was how she could just be herself around him, it had been that way since she first got to know him and she knew the feelings were mutual. Annie noticed that Auggie was a bit quieter than he normally was and she decided to cut to the chase.<p>

"_What's going on Aug? I've got a feeling something is bugging you."_

"_Not long after you left I got assigned to handle a rookie, Steve Jenkins, do you know him?"_

"_Nope. I've heard about him, but never met him. Didn't it go well?"_

"_Epic fail would be the best term. I met him at the initial mission briefing in the conference room. As soon as he realized I'm blind he told Joan to assign him to a different handler. He flat out refused to work with me."_

"_What did Joan say? I'm fairly sure she wouldn't let him get away with that, would she?"_

"_There was an argument and it wasn't pretty. Since the op was time sensitive and they didn't have the time to brief another officer Joan assigned him to Barber."_

"_What the 'f'? She actually accepted that he refused to work with you because you're blind? I can't believe Joan let him get away with it."_

"_She wasn't happy about it and I've talked with her about it. She claims that the only reason she backed down was the fact that we needed to get the mission rolling ASAP."_

Auggie leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees. He sighed heavily and bowed his head. They sat in silence for a few minutes, and then Auggie lifted his head and turned to face Annie. His eyes were red rimmed and his cheeks were wet. Annie didn't know what say; the Jenkins incident had obviously hit him hard. She simply pulled him in for a hug while she gathered her thoughts. Auggie was the one that broke the silence. He sat up and leaned back, pulling a hand through his hair. Then he spoke quietly; _"When I returned to work I was aware that something like that would happen sooner or later, but it didn't make it any easier when it actually did. I'm not sure I should be doing this job. Jenkins is right you know; it's not like I can see the damn surveillance monitors and warn you guys if something happens."_

"_Aug, you know Stu or someone else on your team has that covered for you. It's not an issue. Every field officer I know that you've handled since you returned has expressed that they think you do a great job. Joan hired you because of your field experience, tech knowledge and because she believes in you. Don't forget she fought to keep you on. Joan wouldn't have done that if she didn't think you were capable of filling the position. This Jenkins guy is obviously an ignorant asshole. Don't let his ignorance get to you. You're a great handler and I trust you implicitly. Blind or sighted, you're one of the best officers the CIA has ever had. Don't forget that."_

Auggie's mood had lifted slightly by the end of Annie's monologue. Even though he felt she might be going a bit overboard he knew she was right about most of it. He knew that Joan wouldn't have fought to keep him on if she didn't feel that he was capable of doing the job. He knew he needed to brace himself for more incidents like the one with Jenkins, it was bound to happen again and it was just something he had to deal with. Deep down he had to admit to himself that he would probably have reacted the same way if he'd been assigned to a blind handler a year ago, he really couldn't blame the guy for having his reservations.

Auggie also knew that he was still adjusting to his new situation. He still had a hard time accepting that he was now considered 'disabled' and that he would never see again. Life wasn't as bad as he'd expected when he woke up in the dark six months earlier, but things were still far from perfect and he knew it would take quite a while before he would be able to accept what had happened to him. Annie's words from their weekend in Virginia Beach a few months ago came to his mind; he was lucky to be alive. He realized that he couldn't let himself wallow in self-doubt and self-pity; he needed to try to make the best of the hand he'd been dealt. He owed that to the guys in his unit and their families.

-The end-


End file.
